A hydrogen/syngas generator or fuel processor is a device that can convert a fuel into a product gas containing hydrogen/syngas rich gas stream. The syngas can be converted to hydrogen rich gas using a series of water gas shift, preferential oxidation or methanation reactors. There are several designs available for a fuel processor or hydrogen/syngas generator in various prior art documents, but few relate to compact, thermally integrated, fuel processor for producing hydrogen rich gas for directly delivering it to fuel cell or syngas requiring applications. Also current designs are complicated, require external heating, have low thermal efficiency, and are bulky and expensive. Also, the product gas has to be processed before feeding it to the fuel cell or syngas applications.
Reference may be made to patent US 2002/083646 titled “Fuel processor for producing hydrogen rich gas” relates to a compact processor for producing a hydrogen rich gas stream from a hydrocarbon fuel for use in a fuel cell comprising a first heat exchanger, a first desulphurization reactor, a manifold for mixing the hydrocarbon fuel with an oxygen containing gas to give a fuel mixture, a second heat exchanger, an autothermal reactor, a second desulfurization reactor, a water gas shift reactor, a selective oxidation reactor and a heat exchanger.
Reference may be made to patent US 2003/0051405 discloses an apparatus for converting a hydrocarbon fuel into a hydrogen rich gas, comprising a plurality of modules stacked end to end along a common axis.
Reference may be made to patent US2003/0021742 titled “Single chamber compact fuel processor” relates to an apparatus for carrying out a multi step process of converting a hydrocarbon fuel to a substantially pure hydrogen gas feed including a plurality of reaction zones in a common reaction chamber.
Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 7,066,973 titled “Integrated reformer and shift reactor” disclose a hydrocarbon fuel reformer for producing diatomic hydrogen gas. The reformer includes a first reaction vessel, a shift reactor vessel annularly disposed about the first reaction vessel, including a first shift reactor zone, and a first helical tube disposed within the first shift reactor zone having an inlet end communicating with a water supply.
Reference may be made to patent WO/2008/063485 titled “Process for production of hydrogen from carbohydrate feedstock” discloses a process for producing hydrogen from a plant source wherein a crude plant source is treated with water and a catalyst at a temperature and pressure sufficient to decompose carbohydrate material to form a vapor mixture of gases including hydrogen, and separating hydrogen mixture.
No prior art document discloses the combination of reactions selected from partial oxidation, complete oxidation, steam reforming, dry reforming, dry auto thermal reforming, auto thermal reforming, water gas shift, preferential oxidation or methanation and water condenser and separator along with CO/CO2 clean-up in a single compact unit.
Further, prior designs of fuel processor require external heating for the entire process of operation from start up till shut down.
Also, the fuel processors of the prior arts generate hydrogen rich gas or syngas which needs additional equipment and/or steps to process it before it can be fed to the fuel cell/syngas feed applications.
No prior art document has disclosed the use of at least one part of a fuel processor/hydrogen or syngas generator that can be used in any combination with the others to generate hydrogen, hydrogen rich gas or syngas. The feed can also be selected from hot syngas, coal gasifier gas or any other gas stream containing H2, CO, CO2, CH4, H2O.